


but we knew one thing

by preciousthings



Category: Rocketman (2019) RPF
Genre: Jamie Bell is the Real MVP, M/M, POV Alternating, Pining, Second Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-12 13:08:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19946686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/preciousthings/pseuds/preciousthings
Summary: Taron’s not exactly sure what it is about Richard.What it is that makes him so magnetic, so charming, so— Taron isn’t even sure what other words he can use, what words are enough to sum up everything Richard Madden is.(or: a kiss in ten scenes)





	but we knew one thing

**Author's Note:**

> keep it secret & keep it safe, kids. i literally can not stress enough how fictional this is. super fictional, incredibly fictional, The Most fictional. respect the fourth wall, y'all! 
> 
> well, this was bound to happen eventually, wasn't it? in the end, all it took was that picture from the EW comic con party. shoutsout grace, rhia, lotts, tianna and my twitter timeline for enabling this! 
> 
> there is one brain cell in this story and it belongs to jamie bell. the title comes from 'hunger' by florence and the machine (iykyk)

i.

As soon as Taron meets Richard for the first time, they click. Dexter already knew Richard was going to be the guy, and Taron knows it now, too. It didn’t take much convincing to see how perfect he was for it. 

(He didn’t really need convincing at all. Richard said hello, smiled at Taron, and somehow, that’s all it took.)

Taron’s not exactly sure what it is about Richard. 

What it is that makes him so magnetic, so charming, so— Taron isn’t even sure what other words he can use, what words are enough to sum up everything Richard Madden is. 

Taron leaves Abbey Road that day with Richard’s number in his phone, and he almost texts him that night, it’s a really close thing, but his self control wins out in the end.

(It’s not a Thing, it can’t be.)

ii.

They get to know each other quickly. 

It’s not often Taron meets a co-star that he has a feeling will be a part of his life long after they wrap, but he’s pretty sure about Richard and they haven’t filmed a single scene yet.

(Richard seems just as sure about him, which is a nice feeling.)

Richard is as funny as he is handsome once you spend a little time with him, and behind those good looks is a really genuine guy, not that Taron is surprised at all. The people who told him that they’d get on well if they ever crossed paths were right.

Richard is a brilliant actor, that much Taron was aware of before, but getting to work with him like this, closely, intimately: it’s all a bit more overwhelming than he’d expected.

They spend a lot of time early on talking about their characters before they even step foot in a rehearsal room, just working through what the script requires of them as a pair. They’ve been taking what Taron knows from Elton, and what Richard has heard from others about Reid, and it isn’t always easy, but it’s always productive. 

“Let’s agree to disagree and move on,” Richard says, after a particularly rough discussion. Not even rough, really, just— quite draining more than anything else. This isn’t an easy role, neither of their parts are, but there have been better days. 

“We can come back to this tomorrow if you want,” Taron says. 

“I’m perfectly fine leaving it here if you are.” 

Richard smiles, and Taron knows that he’s well and truly fucked. 

(So, maybe it is a Thing.)

iii. 

The early stages of this film shoot have been pretty eye-opening, if Richard’s honest. 

For starters, it confirmed what Richard had always known to be true: he’s not really a singer, definitely _not_ a dancer, and nothing makes that more painfully obvious than being in a rehearsal studio with a proper choreographer and no less than thirty fit, good-at-their-job dancers. 

It also— 

Okay, Richard is pretty in touch with himself, like, he knows who he is, but there’s the whole— latent bisexuality thing. 

It’s really not a new thing, but it’s also not something that’s ever been frustratingly, persistently in the front of his mind. He’s been with guys, quietly dated guys, all of it, but it’s just never been that big of a deal to him, just another part of his identity the same way he’d say he’s Scottish or an actor. 

It’s not because of Taron, but it’s also not _not_ because of him that this is all coming up now. It can’t be a coincidence that this kind, talented person comes into his life, and suddenly Richard’s thinking about his sexuality again, really thinking about it for the first time since he was 24, filming the first season of Thrones and coming to the conclusion that, yeah, this was going to be a thing. 

(Richard would be lying if he said Taron’s looks had nothing to do with it.)

(But now— Taron is his co-star, his bloody scene partner in this film. They can’t— 

_He_ can’t— 

Not after he almost— 

It isn’t an option.)

iv.

Taron is in his own head again. 

He’s gotten more introspective lately; he figures that occupying the headspace of Elton John more often than his own will do that to him, but this time he knows exactly what’s going on. 

He’s thankful for Jamie right now, who’d suggested they go for a pint once they’ve wrapped for the day. So now they’re sitting at a table in a small pub near where they’re filming. It’s quiet as far as pubs go, and they’ve been left alone mostly, both one pint in, with Taron much closer to being done with his second than Jamie is. 

“I have to kiss Rich tomorrow,” Taron says out of nowhere. His filter is mostly gone, partly because of the alcohol and partly because he’s just _tired_. 

“That doesn’t exactly seem like a hardship,” Jamie says. 

Taron sighs, emptying his glass. 

It’s not that he’s _dreading_ tomorrow, no, dread is much too harsh of a word. Filming sex scenes are always quite awkward, the balancing of vulnerability and intimacy with the knowledge that there are a bunch of people on the other side of the camera watching and judging and making sure the angles work and the motions look right and it’s just— uncomfortable. And that’s without even factoring in that it’s going to be him and _Richard_.

Taron is not immune to Richard Madden’s charm, not in the slightest. 

“You’re worrying,” Jamie says. 

“Intuitive, you are,” Taron mutters. 

“You aren’t really subtle,” Jamie says. “Everything you’re feeling is always on your face.” 

“So what am I feeling?” 

“Weird about kissing Richard tomorrow,” Jamie says, like it’s obvious. It _is_ obvious. 

“That all?” Taron asks, more rhetorical than anything else. 

(He hopes maybe Jamie hasn’t noticed. He hopes that he isn’t wearing this on his face, too.)

Jamie pauses, considering something. He takes a long pull of his drink before speaking again. “You wouldn’t be asking if that’s really is all it is.”

“Maybe that really is all that it is,” Taron says. It’s unconvincing at best. Jamie gives him a look. “Okay, fine, I think I have a thing for Rich.”

“What kind of thing?” 

“Oh, come on, Jamie,” Taron says. “Don’t make me say it.”

Jamie gives him another look. 

“Okay, just because I want you to stop looking at me like you’re interrogating me. It’s a— it’s a thing, I don’t know!” 

“You have a crush on Rich,” Jamie says. Taron wishes he hadn’t drained his glass earlier, or had gotten up for another. He feels like he should be less sober than he is for this conversation. 

“He’s a nice guy, and he’s good looking, and I probably fancy him a little. That’s— all it is.”

“Alright, then,” Jamie says. 

Taron fidgets for a second, before blurting out, “And it’s not _really_ a thing, he’s just cute. It’s not actually anything, so please stop looking at me like that.”

“Oh?” Jamie quirks an eyebrow. 

“Fuck,” Taron mutters. 

“You okay?” 

Taron leans back in his chair; he hadn’t realized how tense he was until he lets some of the tension out of his shoulders. “I guess it’s more of a thing than I thought. Don’t think anything will come of it.”

“I met Kate on a movie set and now we’re married,” Jamie says. “So maybe you aren’t giving yourself _or_ Rich enough credit. It’s probably a lot less hopeless than you think.”

“Yeah?” 

“You never know,” Jamie says. He finishes the rest of his beer. “We should head out soon, yeah?”

Taron nods. “Hey, just— don’t tell Rich?” 

“I wouldn’t do that, T.” 

And when Taron says, “Thank you, Jamie,” he means it with everything in him. 

v.

They film the sex scene, and Taron gets through it just like he always does, but he’s not going to lie and say that doing _that_ with Richard as many times as he had to was _easy_. 

(Richard, shirtless, standing in front of him, Richard across the room, Richard’s hands on him— _god_ , Richard’s hands. They weren’t themselves in those moments—)

(But also— The way Richard distracted him in between takes, the way he could just _tell_ that it was going to be one of those kinds of scenes. They haven’t even known each other that long, and Richard already knows his quirks.)

There are still scenes to film, songs to record, more times where Taron has to stand in front of a camera and kiss Richard, and this can’t be the only thing on his mind all the time. 

They’re making a movie, and Taron is a professional, goddammit, but if he was trying to ignore this Richard thing before, it’s nearly impossible now having been in the position they’ve been in. 

vi.

And then something changes. 

Richard knows what it’s like to kiss Taron now, even if it was all pretend. 

They rehearsed the kiss a lot before the cameras were rolling. Like, _a lot_. Richard’s done his fair share of screen kisses, stage kisses, choreographed intimacy, but he’s certain he’s never felt a connection like this before. 

He hasn’t really wanted— 

Not like this, not for a while now. But Taron’s on his mind often; on camera, off camera, in character and out of it, on set, in their trailers, when they go out after wrapping some nights. 

It would be a hundred times easier to _want_ like this if they weren’t co-workers, if he hadn’t realized any of this until he’d wrapped on the film completely. 

vii. 

Taron looks at Richard a lot. 

Richard never used to look back. 

He isn’t sure what’s changed between them now, if it was the half-day they spent blocking and filming fake sex, or the fact that they’ve rehearsed kissing more than they’ve spoken lines over the past few days, but— 

Now Taron looks at Richard, and sometimes, Richard is looking back. 

viii. 

Richard doesn’t really know what he’s looking for when he stops in Jamie’s trailer as he’s leaving set. He’s not sure how much of himself he really wants to give away just to get this vague reassurance he’s not even sure he needs. 

“You’ve dated a co-star before, right?” Richard asks him.

“Rich,” Jamie says. “I’ve literally married one.” 

“Right, right.”

“Is there, like, a question in that question that you’re not asking and just expecting me to know?” 

Richard wishes Jamie could just read his mind. It’d make everything a lot easier.

“Right then,” Jamie continues, when Richard hasn’t say anything. “Are you secretly dating someone here right now, is that what it is?” 

“No,” Richard shakes his head quickly.

“Have you ever before?”

Richard shakes his head again, thinks about—

“Almost, once. A long time ago,” he says. “I don’t think it would have worked out if we had.”

“Kate and I didn’t actually get together until after we’d wrapped, but by then it felt kind of inevitable. We both knew there was a connection, so it wasn’t an if we’d get together, it was just when,” Jamie says. “It’s not always doomed.” 

“It wasn’t like— weird? Or difficult?”

Jamie shakes his head. “Felt natural.” 

“Thanks, Jamie,” Richard says, awkwardly. He’s regretting having said anything at all, because he doesn’t quite have the words to explain himself any further, wouldn’t even know how to respond if Jamie asked what Richard was thanking him for. 

“Wait, Rich, is this about Taron?” Jamie asks. 

Richard nods, feels more seen than he’d expected to when he’d started this conversation. “Fuck, is it that obvious?”

“Not really,” Jamie says. “That was just a guess. Have you two talked at all?” 

“Not about that.” 

“You should. I really, really can’t say anything more than that, but talking with him might be helpful.”

“I’ll think about it,” Richard says. 

“Soon,” Jamie says. His tone isn’t challenging in any way, but more kind, a gentle push in the right direction instead of a rough one. 

“Soon,” Richard repeats, and it sort of feels like a promise. 

He leaves Jamie’s trailer with more questions than he originally had, and less answers, but regardless, he feels a little bit lighter. A little bit more like he could actually do this.

ix.

Jamie’s not in this position often. 

It’s more like, Jamie’s not in this position _ever_ , except for right now, and he definitely didn’t ask to be in it. 

Having this knowledge isn’t helpful, or fun, and Jamie would probably even go as far as to say he doesn’t _want it_ if he didn’t like his friends so much. 

Still, having this knowledge and not knowing what to do with it is… less than ideal. He almost texts Kate about it, but “What should I do when my co-stars are into each other but I’m the only one who knows it?” sounds ridiculous, especially when it’s out of context, especially when he’s trying desperately to stay as uninvolved in the love lives of Taron Egerton and Richard Madden as he can. 

Except it’s gotten insufferable, spending time with the two of them together, because something’s changed between the two of them. Jamie’s pretty sure all they’d need to do is have one conversation like adults do. Talking about it doesn’t even seem to be a problem, if only they’d just talk about it with each other instead of him. He’d even nudged Richard enough that it seemed like maybe it’d happen, but there’s been radio silence on that front since the last time he’d spoken to Rich about it.

In the end, it probably wouldn’t even have to be a very long conversation because they’re both entirely on the same page and completely into one another, that much Jamie is sure of. 

He can’t force it, but he definitely can help, and hopefully, they’ll thank him once it’s done.

x.

How they got here isn’t important, but what _is_ important is that Taron is locked in his trailer with Richard. _Jamie_ locked them in there, the cheeky bastard. 

“Hey, T,” Richard says, measured. “Do you know why Jamie locked us in your trailer?” 

“Not a clue,” Taron says, coy. 

“Do you know when he’s going to unlock the trailer?”

“Can’t say I do.” Taron has a pretty good idea of when, but he’s not about to say that.

Richard hums in response and sits down on one of the couches, taking his phone out of his pocket. He pushes his sunglasses up into his hair and unlocks his phone, typing intermittently. 

Taron leans against a counter, awkward and uncomfortable, not sure what to do or say. It’s quiet for a while, it has to be five minutes like this.

He’s pretty sure that the only way out of here is through, and in this case, through means telling Richard everything. He doesn’t know what to say, where to start, how to prepare himself for what feels like the inevitable. He opens his mouth to say something despite that, but Richard beats him to it. 

“Do you reckon Jamie’s keeping us in here because he thinks we should be talking about something?” Richard asks. It sounds leading, like there’s something more to it. Like he knows something Taron doesn’t, maybe. 

“We’re talking right now.”

“No, I know, but— I was talking with Jamie a few days ago, and he was telling me that I should talk to you” 

“We haven’t talked? We’ve done quite a bit of talking lately,” Taron says, rather stupidly all things considered. 

“Not about this thing, no,” Richard says. He keeps dodging Taron’s eyes, looking at the floor or his phone or straight ahead, past Taron.

“What exactly is that thing?” 

“It’s, er, you. More or less,” Richard says. 

Taron knows better than to hope, because, really— in what world does this work out how Taron wants it to? He shouldn’t hope, but he is anyway, hoping that there’s even the smallest chance here. 

“Me?” 

Richard nods, finally putting his phone back in his pocket. “And me, I guess.” 

“Rich, what are you getting at here?”

“I think— no, I’m pretty sure that I like you, T,” Richard says, finally looking at Taron.

“Like—”

“Like, in all the ways you probably think I mean it, yes.” 

“Are you saying you fancy me?” Taron asks, trying to keep this light. 

“If you’re going to take the piss, can we just tell Jamie we’ve figured something out so he’ll stop?” Richard looks tense and _crushed_ , an expression Taron’s never seen him wearing before, in real life, at least, and he hates it. 

He has to fix it because he’s the only one who can.

“I like you, too, Rich. In all the ways you hopefully think I mean it.” 

“Yeah?”

Taron just nods, not really sure what else he can say. He’s thought about this moment enough times that he should have something to say. 

“Did we both tell Jamie about this before we told each other?” Richard asks, looking amused. His body language has changed again, back to relaxed, but much more open than he’d seemed just five minutes ago. 

“I told Jamie the night before we’d filmed the sex scene,” Taron admits. “And you—”

“Told him maybe three days ago. He told me that I should just talk to you. Seemed like he might’ve known something but didn’t really want to say what it was.” 

“I’m going to kiss you now,” Taron says, abrupt, tired of waiting. He doesn’t know why he feels the need to announce it if they’re both on board with this, if it’s well established that what he’s feeling isn’t unrequited. Maybe it’s because he still feels like Richard deserves an out if he really wants one. “Unless you don’t—”

Richard stands up, though. They’re close enough now that all Taron has to do is lean in. “Shut up and kiss me,” he says, low. He’s smirking, but there’s something _so_ — Taron doesn’t even have the words for it— but he doesn’t need words, he just kisses Richard instead. 

It isn't their first kiss. That one is lost in hours of footage somewhere ready to be edited down to less than a minute. They don't get another chance at a first kiss, just a fairly unceremonious second kiss, but there's still this: Taron and Richard, fully themselves. No parts to play, no carefully choreographed movements, no pretending to be two people they aren't, two people who have already lived this exact moment what feels like a lifetime ago. 

No, this is just them, and somehow, it's even more electrifying.  


**Author's Note:**

> i don't quite have a playlist for these two yet, but it's important to me that u know the song that inspired this (aside from the aforementioned 'hunger') is 'i can change' by lake street dive.
> 
> i tweet a lot over at @rantwheels !


End file.
